A sessions court on Friday issued notice to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for July 21 on a post-arrest bail petition filed by YouTuber Rehan Tariq in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code relating to allegations of raising sensitive and controversial sectarian issues.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqui heard the petition.
During the proceedings, defence counsel Advocate Mian Dawood argued that his client was implicated in a false case. He contended that this was the first case in which post-arrest bail had been refused even though the alleged offences did not fall within the prohibitory clause. The counsel further submitted that the investigation had been completed and all recoveries had been made, yet the judicial magistrate had still rejected the bail application.
The defence requested the court to grant post-arrest bail to Rehan Tariq.
After hearing the preliminary arguments, the court issued notice to the NCCIA and adjourned further proceedings until July 21.
According to the FIR registered on June 25, the NCCIA booked Tariq under Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and Sections 153-A, 295-A and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR alleges that Tariq hosted a podcast featuring a religious scholar in which highly sensitive and controversial sectarian issues were discussed, allegedly inciting controversy among followers of different sects.